A gas turbine engine may be used to power various types of vehicles and systems, including aircraft. A typical gas turbine engine may include, for example, a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. During operation, the compressor section raises the pressure of inlet air, and the compressed air is mixed with fuel and ignited in the combustion section. The high-energy combustion gases flow through the turbine section, thereby causing rotationally mounted turbine blades to rotate and generate energy. The air exiting the turbine section is exhausted from the engine via the exhaust section. Energy extracted by the turbine section may drive the fans, compressors, power gearboxes, generators, and other external devices.
Many gas turbine engines include multiple stages of compressors and turbines arranged in series. For example, a conventional two-stage gas turbine engine includes, in flow-path order: a fan and/or a low pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a combustor, a high pressure turbine, and a low pressure turbine and/or power turbine. Two or more these components may be considered a rotating group that share a common tie shaft that imparts an axial force to maintain the position and alignment of the rotating components. Generally, however, given the complex structure and function of the various components associated with the tie shaft, it may be challenging or impossible to assemble and disassemble selected components without complete disassembly of the rotating group.
This is particularly an issue because certain engine components may require more frequent cleaning, repair, and disassembly than other components. For example, combustors and high pressure turbine vanes and blades often require more frequent maintenance than high pressure compressor vanes and rotors. Service issues may be further complicated by recent advancements in gas turbine engine technology involving reduced physical size and increased speeds and temperatures that make the conventional mechanisms for accessing the components associated with the tie shaft more challenging.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide gas turbine engines that enable a more efficient manner for selective assembly and disassembly of components while meeting the mechanical limitations of current engine requirements. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.